Scars
by Skovko
Summary: Dean's sister Denise surprises him on the road and asks for his help. She has finally left her no good boyfriend and she promises her brother there will be no more secrets between them. But there are still secrets which Seth finds out by accident and soon he becomes one of her secrets too.
1. Flash of black

"Dean!" A female voice shouted.

All three Shield members spun around in the hallway just to see a flash of black jump through the air and knock Dean to the ground. Roman and Seth were just about to pull the crazy fangirl off Dean when he started laughing and put his arms around her.

"Brat!" He laughed joyfully. "What are you doing here?"  
"You sent me a ticket. I kinda thought it was an invitation," she said.  
"I've sent you many tickets. You've never shown up before," he said.  
"Fine, I'll leave again," she said.

He burst out into a wide grin before hugging her even tighter. She squealed which only made him hold on even tighter and start laughing.

"Dean?" Roman asked.  
"Right, right," Dean grabbed her arms and pushed her a bit upwards. "Help her up, boys."

Seth and Roman grabbed an arm each and pulled the woman dressed in black up. They finally got a good look on her face and before Dean had even started telling who she was, they knew. She shared the same piercing blue eyes as him. Her hair was the same colour and same unruly mess, although a lot thicker than his hair, cut short around her ears like him.

"This is my sister Denise, also known as brat," Dean said.

An elbow to his stomach left him unable to breathe for a second.

"I'm not a brat," she smiled at Seth and Roman. "So you're the two dogs keeping my brother on a leash every week on tv."  
"And in private too," Seth said.  
"He needs it," she said.  
"He sure does," Roman chuckled.  
"Hey! I'm right here," Dean cut in.  
"I missed you, brother," she said.

She wrapped her arms around his midsection and hugged him. He put an arm around her shoulders and started guiding her down the hallway along with Seth and Roman.

"About time you showed up to watch me live," he said. "Where's anal cunt?"

Seth spluttered in laughter by hearing those words. Dean was known for his weird vocabulary but it was the first time he had put those two words together.

"I actually left him," she said.  
"You did?" Dean lit up in a smile. "About time."  
"I know," she smiled.  
"Why didn't you tell me? When did you leave him?" He asked.  
"Let me see, how long did it take me to get here and find you? A few hours ago. Before the show started," she answered.  
"What?" Roman started laughing.  
"He doesn't know yet. He wasn't exactly home so I left a note," she said.  
"You wicked, little brat," Dean laughed.  
"I could use your help though. See, I kind of borrowed his car to get here and he's gonna be so mad if it's still gone when he comes home tonight so I was thinking you could follow me there while I drive it back and then I can go with you afterwards," she said.

Dean stopped walking, grabbed her arm and spun her around to face him.

"Denise, are you in trouble? Has he done something I should know about?" He asked.

She eyed Seth and Roman quickly before putting on a big smile and looking at Dean again.

"Don't worry, brother. You always said he was no good," she said.  
"He isn't," he said.  
"So I left him. But I live with him. You know that. I need your help. Can I go back with you and stay until I find a place on my own?" She asked.  
"Of course," he answered. "Are you sure there's nothing I should know about?"  
"Absolutely nothing," she assured him.

They walked to the parking lot where Roman and Seth went to their rental while Dean followed her to her car.

"I already got my things in the trunk," she said.  
"You just knew I couldn't say no to you," he chuckled.  
"You never can," she said.  
"True," he grinned. "Pop the trunk and let me put it in our car."

She popped the trunk and he grabbed her bags.

"I'll be right back," he said.

He walked to their rental and put her bags in their trunks. Roman and Seth were still standing outside of the car.

"Is she okay?" Seth asked.  
"I hope so," Dean answered. "You guys are cool with this, right?"  
"Of course. She's your sister so she's a friend of ours," Roman said.  
"Good," Dean said.  
"And that boyfriend of hers?" Seth asked.  
"Anal cunt!" Dean growled. "I'm glad she finally left him."  
"Abusive asshole?" Roman asked.  
"You can say that again. I've never actually seen him hit her but he was always controlling her and blowing up in her face for the smallest reasons and she seemed scared, you know. She wasn't my charming sister that you've just witnessed. That woman right there, that's my sister. Not his puppet," Dean answered.  
"Go back to her. We'll follow you," Roman said.

Dean walked over to her car and got into the passenger seat. She started driving and Seth and Roman followed behind in the rental. Around 15 minutes later she pulled up to the curb and killed the engine. She looked up at the apartment complex and the smiling woman was gone and back was that fearful girl he had seen on the few times he had seen her over the last two years.

"He's not up there, right?" He asked.  
"No, he's out at his best friend's bachelor party," she answered.  
"You don't have to go up there," he said.  
"I do. I need to leave the keys," she said.  
"I'll go with you," he said.  
"Dean, you don't have to do that," she sighed.  
"I said, I'll go with you," he repeated.

He stared in wonder as he entered the apartment. He had lived in many shitholes during his younger days but this place took the cake. He hadn't even stooped that low.

"You actually live here?" He asked.  
"Lived," she corrected. "For around a year and a half."

She placed the keys down on their usual spot.

"And now I'm leaving," she said.  
"You damn right, you are. What the fuck, Denise, why didn't you call me? I would have come get you," he said.  
"I wasn't allowed to call you," she said.  
"I fucking knew it!" He sneered. "I always had to call you to talk to you. We used to be so close. I knew he was the one telling you not to call me."

He closed the gap between them and pulled her in for a hug.

"I should have come. I should have just taken you away against his will. I'm so sorry, Denise," he said.  
"It's not your fault. It's not like I ever told you what was going on," she said.  
"But you are now, right? No more secrets," he leaned out and smiled at her.  
"No more secrets," she smiled back.  
"Now let's get the fuck out of Satan's anus," he looked around one last time. "Say goodbye to anal cunt."  
"Goodbye anal cunt," she chuckled.

Two minutes later they were in the back seat of the rental while Seth pulled out on the road and started driving towards the hotel.

"You two okay back there?" Roman asked.  
"We're fine," Dean smiled as he grabbed her hand. "You two, however, you're not gonna gang up on me anymore. I got brat here in my corner now."  
"Keep calling me that and I'll side with them," she said.  
"You wouldn't dare!" He looked shocked.  
"Try me!" She smirked.  
"She's as bad as you, Dean," Seth chuckled.  
"I know. I raised her," Dean winked at her. "She's me in a much smaller and more feminine version."  
"And a better looking one," Seth said.  
"Hey!" Dean slapped the back of Seth's head.

Seth laughed and looked in the rear view mirror where he caught her eyes. She was smiling warmly at him and he winked at her before turning his focus back to the road.

"Way better looking," he said lowly.  
"I heard that," Dean said.  
"You were supposed to," Seth said.  
"So, sleeping arrangements?" Roman asked.  
"I'll take her," Seth chuckled.  
"Keep driving, little brother," Dean slapped the back of Seth's head again. "She'll be in my bed. No way I'm letting her near any of you."  
"I thought we were brothers," Roman laughed.  
"Brothers, yes. Which makes her your sister too," Dean said.  
"Damn!" Roman said. "We can't argue with that one, Seth."  
"We'll figure out something," Seth said.

He reached his fist towards Roman and Roman immetiately bumped it with his own.

"You guys are dicks," Dean said.  
"Do I get a say in any of this?" She asked.  
"No!" He laughed. "You're my sister so I must protect you. We can't have an anal cunt situation part 2 going on."


	2. Even in the middle of the night

Roman woke up next morning and was met by Seth's brown eyes as they opened their eyes at the same time and stared at each other from their beds. Seth smiled and rolled over to look at the last bed where Dean and Denise were sleeping. He propped himself up on one elbow to get a better look at the sleeping siblings and then he started laughing like crazy. Roman sat up to see what was so funny and he started laughing too.

"What the fuck is so funny?" Dean groused.

Denise opened her eyes and sat up with a confused look which only made Seth and Roman laugh even harder.

"Seriously, what's so god damn funny?" Dean sat up too.  
"Your hair," Roman laughed. "As if we haven't had many morning laughs over your hair alone, there's two of you and her hair is even more crazy than yours."  
"So?" She shrugged.  
"The Ambrose family? No, more like the troll family," Seth said.  
"Shut up, dwarf!" Dean said.  
"Are you done laughing so I can go back to sleep?" She asked.  
"Yes, brat, sleep," Dean got out of bed. "We're gonna go work out anyway."  
"Heavenly sleep," she sighed as she fell back down on the bed. "I can't remember the last time I slept this good and you guys ruined it by laughing. I'm gonna hate you the next hour."  
"Good, then we're all good when we return since you won't see us for at least a couple of hours," Roman said.

She raised her middle finger before rolling over so she had her back against them.

"Yep, she's an Ambrose for sure," Seth chuckled.

She wasn't sure how long she had slept but the guys were still gone when she woke up. She dragged herself to the bathroom and laughed when she saw herself in the mirror. She did indeed look like a troll. This haircut wasn't morning friendly at all. She turned on the water and stepped under it to tame her unruly hair.

Seth entered the hotel room alone and looked at the bed. She wasn't there. He figured she probably had gone downstairs to get something to eat. He put his gym bag down and moved towards the bathroom.

He opened the door and stared into the back of her. She had panties on but was bowed forward just slightly while drying her hair. He would have apologized and slammed the door if it hadn't been for what he saw on her back. She spun around surprised and held the towel in front of her to cover her breasts.

"What the fuck are you doing? Get out!" She shouted.  
"What's that on your back?" He asked.  
"Nothing," she answered.

Without thinking about that he was way overstepping the boundaries, he entered the bathroom and walked over to her. He gently grabbed her arm and spun her around so he could look at her.

"What the fuck happened?" He asked.  
"I ran through a glass door when I was a kid," she lied.  
"How many times?" He asked angrily. "There's a bunch of scars here but there's also fresh wounds."

He ran a finger over one of the wounds and she hissed in pain.

"Did your boyfriend do this to you?" He asked.  
"Ex," she corrected.  
"I don't give a fuck what he is! Did he do this to you?" He raised his voice.

Her shoulders slumped down and she bowed her head.

"Yes," she said.

He spun her around again and grabbed her head to raise it so he could look in her eyes. She couldn't push him away since she was still holding the towel against her body to cover up.

"Are those cuts made by a knife?" He asked.  
"Yes," she answered.  
"What the hell, Denise? Does Dean know?" He asked.  
"No, please don't tell him!" She shouted.  
"I have to," he said.  
"No, you don't. Please, Seth. I don't want Dean to know. He'll never see the end of it. He'll do something crazy that'll have his ass end up in jail. There's no reason for him to know about this. It's over. I left him, remember? I left Alex yesterday and I'm not going back. Never! I promise!" The words left her mouth incredibly fast.

They stood in silence for three long seconds before he let go off her head and smiled at her.

"Alright," he said. "On one condition."  
"Name it," she said.  
"Go out on a date with me," he said.  
"Are you fucking kidding me right now?" She asked.  
"No," he shook his head. "Let me take you out on a date and show you how a real man treats a woman. Whenever you're comfortable with it, of course. I can wait."  
"How about now?" She asked.  
"Right now?" He looked at her surprised.  
"Why not? It's lunch time and I still haven't eaten," she said. "Just give me a couple of minutes here to get dressed. You ain't getting lucky just because I'm going out with you, mister."

He chuckled and left the bathroom so she could get dressed. Ten minutes later she came out wearing a black tee and a knee long scarlet red skirt.

"You look good," he said.  
"I didn't dress up for you. I was gonna wear this anyway," she said.  
"I know but you still look good," he smiled. "Not used to being paid a compliment?"  
"Not unless 'you're a great cocksucker' counts," she said.  
"Now, that I won't know anything about," he smirked. "Maybe one day."  
"In your dreams," she snorted.  
"You have no idea what I dream about, sweetheart, but you might enter them," he said.

Since she knew the city, he let her decide where to go. She found a low key place where they could sit privately and he enjoyed her company. They smalltalked over lunch and she was a warm and nice woman to be out with.

"Where to next?" He asked.  
"Back to the hotel?" She asked.  
"Ending the date so soon? That's no fun," he pouted.  
"You do realize I only said yes because you blackmailed me, right? I figured I might as well get it over with fast," she said.  
"Sure thing, sweetheart," he chuckled. "Come on, take me for a walk somewhere. I don't know this city."  
"Fine!" She rolled her eyes.

He followed her through town and soon he found himself walking through a forest with her. No one else was in there and he enjoyed being completely alone with her. Halfway through the forest she went to sit down on a fallen tree and he sat down right next to her. For a moment they sat in silence before he reached over to take her hand. She turned her head and met his warm eyes.

"I like your hair. You wear that haircut way better than Dean," he said.  
"I actually shaved my head bald. It's just growing out now," she said.  
"Really?" He chuckled.  
"I got so tired of Alex always pulling my hair. That shit hurts, you know. Oh wait, you do know from the ring. You pull each other's hair a lot," she said.

He sighed and laced his fingers in between hers.

"I'm gonna grow it long again," she continued. "It used to be half way down my back."  
"It doesn't matter if it's long or short. You're still beautiful," he said.  
"At least one of us think so," she said.

Another compliment she couldn't receive with a thank you. He was gonna get through to her somehow. She had to learn not all men meant trouble.

"How many times did he do it? Your back, I mean," he said.  
"I don't know. It's not like I kept count," she said.  
"That many?" He sighed. "Why did you stay with him that long?"  
"It's not like he started putting a knife to my skin on our first date," she said.

She pulled her hand free and stood up. She was angry, that was clear to him.

"You're acting as if I asked for it," she said.  
"What?" He stood up too.  
"He wasn't like this at first. He was really sweet with all his lies and promises and empty words. It started with shouting and grabbing, then pushing and slapping, slowly increasing, eventually ending where it did. And I didn't know how to get out, Seth. I didn't fucking know, alright? I was scared and hurt and fucking embarrassed to tell anyone. I couldn't tell Dean. I can't tell Dean," she said.

She started crying and he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. He stroked a hand through her hair and felt how she dug her fingertips into his back.

"I'm sorry," he said.  
"For what?" She asked.  
"For not knowing what to say and for forcing you to go out with me," he answered.  
"I wanted to," she leaned her cheek against his chest. "I really did."  
"I'm glad to hear it," he pulled her head free to give her a smile. "However, I'm not sorry for making you talk about it. You don't get to be embarrassed. Scared and hurt, yes, but the more you talk about it, the better you'll feel. And I'll listen. Everytime you need me to."  
"Even in the middle of the night?" She asked.

He pulled out his phone and handed it to her.

"Put your number in it," he said.

He watched as her fingers danced over the screen and when she handed it back to him, her name and number was on it. He smiled as he put it back in his pocket and took her hand again.

"Let's get back. Dean and Roman will be back soon," he said.  
"Why did you come back alone?" She asked.  
"Faked a headache to get some alone time with you," he answered with a grin.  
"Why?" She asked.  
"Because I wanted to. Because I want to get to know you. Because I like you, I think," he answered.  
"You think?" She asked.  
"Yeah, I think so," he smiled. "At least for now. You still might end up being just as bad as Dean so I have to run away."  
"You're still with him," she said.  
"Planning my great escape as we speak," he said.

That night after the show they drove to the airport to get back home. After handing in the rental, hugs and goodbyes were shared and they went in different directions to get to their gates. As Dean and Denise stood in line waiting to board, she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. There was a text from an unknown number and when she opened it to read it, she started smiling as she realized it was Seth.

 _"Even in the middle of the night."_


	3. In your dreams

A couple of days later Seth moved through the hallway with the ugly brown carpet towards the hotel room. He was back on the road and ready to join forces with Dean and Roman again. When he unlocked the door and pushed it open, he heard voices. Roman and Dean's voices as expected but also a third voice. A female voice. He started smiling before he even stepped into the room and actually saw her.

"Denise!" He beamed. "You're back."  
"Dean wouldn't leave me at home," she said.  
"Not with anal cunt still on the loose. He actually hasn't reached out to her," Dean said.  
"Isn't that a good thing?" Seth asked.  
"Not with a guy like him. The silence scares me," Dean answered.  
"Don't talk like I'm not here," she said.  
"Anyway, got her a job interview tonight with Stephanie," Dean said.  
"As what?" Seth asked.  
"Hair stylist. Oh right, I forgot to tell you. She's a hairdresser but she can't really go back to the salon she worked at when she's moved to Vegas with me," Dean answered.  
"I'm still here. Ask me these questions. Not Dean," she said.

She walked out to the balcony and leaned over the railing.

"She's right. Don't treat her like a baby," Roman said.  
"So the upgrade in hotel rooms is because of her, I assume," Seth looked around. "I just thought you were tired of waking up to my pretty face."  
"For now we'll do a little extra something something. I'll pay, of course," Dean said.  
"Should we go out to grab a bite before moving to the arena?" Roman asked.  
"Yeah, just gotta get back on her good side," Dean stood up and raised his voice. "Hey brat! Food! And I'm sorry! Now get back in here so we can leave!"

She turned around and raised her middle finger at him through the window which made all three guys laugh.

"Come on, brat!" Dean grinned.

She walked back inside and closed the balcony door.

"If you weren't my brother, I'd kill you in your sleep," she said.  
"I thought you'd do that anyway," he chuckled.  
"I might. Better stay awake tonight," she said.

After getting something to eat, they went to the arena. Dean escorted her to meet Stephanie and when he returned to Seth and Roman 30 minutes later, he was alone.

"Where's Denise?" Roman asked.  
"Stephanie put her to work right away so she's down at her new station," Dean answered.  
"Do you think she'll fix my split ends?" Seth held up a chunk of his hair.  
"Of couse," Dean said.

Seth nodded and left them without another word. He moved through the hallways until he found the room where the hair stylists were placed. She was down in the farthest corner looking like she was trying to blend it with the other hair stylists that clearly already knew each other.

"Hey sweetheart," he sat down on the chair. "Care to fix my split ends?"  
"Sure," she said.  
"Take as little as possible," he gave her a pleading look.  
"I'm not gonna cut it short," she chuckled. "Trust me."  
"I do," he said.

He watched in the mirror as she worked skillfully and fast and soon she put down the scissors and smiled as her eyes met his in the mirror. He reached up to grab her hand to hold it against his chest.

"Thanks," he said.  
"No problem. It's my job," she said.  
"Does Dean know? That we've been talking these last couple of days?" He asked.  
"No, I haven't told him," she answered.  
"Ashamed of me?" He gave her a sideways smile.  
"Totally," she laughed. "No, I just like that you're my thing."

He started laughing out loud which made everyone turn their heads briefly to watch them.

"That came out wrong," she shook her head.  
"I'll be your thing any day," he said.  
"I meant that I like having something that is mine alone and that I'm not scared of. I spent so long being scared and keeping secrets. This secret doesn't hurt. It feels good," she said.  
"I'll never hurt you," he gave her hand a squeeze.  
"I know," she said.  
"However, as much as I like the upgrade in hotel rooms and that we're actually getting real bedrooms, he has booked two bedroom suites," he said.  
"So?" She asked.  
"Kingsized beds. As in, one bed per room. I have to share with Roman. I'd rather share with you," he answered.  
"I feel like I've given you this answer before. In your dreams," she chuckled.

He stood up from the chair and hugged her. His lips disappeared into her hair close to her ear.

"I have very pleasent dreams, and in those dreams I make you feel so good," he whispered.  
"Seth!" She squealed lowly.  
"Just saying, sweetheart," he chuckled.

He kissed her cheek and let go of her while keeping a naughty smile on his face.

"See you later tonight," he said.

After the show they had all gone back to the hotel room. They sat in the small livingroom of the suite until she excused herself around half an hour later and went to her and Dean's room. The guys stayed in there and Seth's phone never left his hand.

"What's so important on your phone at this hour?" Dean chuckled.  
"Just checking news and such," Seth said.  
"Yeah right!" Roman laughed. "You got a girl for sure. You keep smiling like a maniac."  
"I don't," Seth laughed. "And now I'll leave you two idiots alone."  
"Yeah, we really should break it up and get an early start tomorrow," Roman said.  
"Luckily we ain't driving far," Dean said.  
"Tomorrow's gonna suck," Roman yawned. "Straight to the next town, perform, and then straight on the road again before finally crashing several towns over."  
"This life isn't for everyone," Seth said.  
"But still we love it," Dean grinned.

They said their goodnights and went to their rooms. Dean couldn't help but chuckle when he found Denise on her phone as well.

"You too? I swear you and Seth are like gollums with those phones," he laughed. "My precious!"  
"Sorry, I'll stop," she said.  
"Who are you texting anyway?" He asked.  
"No one," she answered.  
"I swear if it's anal cunt..." He growled.  
"It's not. I promise," she smiled reassuringly. "I just had to talk to my old boss to get my last paycheck. I'm done now. Let's go to sleep."  
"Yeah, let's," he said.

He watched as she put the phone on the nightstand and laid down. He didn't believe her one bit. There was something in her eyes, something secretive, but if she didn't wanna talk about it, he wasn't gonna pressure her. Not yet at least. He gave her phone a final look, convincing himself not to go for it once she fell asleep. They had to trust each other. She had finally found her way back to him for good and he knew snooping through her phone would send her running in the other direction again.


	4. Secrets see the light of day

It was two weeks later and Seth and Roman met up at the airport to drive together to Dean's place in Vegas. Not just to visit him but because they were starting in Vegas this time around and instead of renting a hotel room, Dean had offered them to stay in his house. They went there a day earlier to hang out with the siblings before having to start another mini tour.

"How's this gonna work, you think?" Roman asked.  
"How's what gonna work?" Seth asked.  
"Denise is probably in the guest room which only leaves the couch. You wanna spoon with me?" Roman chuckled.  
"Fuck, no!" Seth laughed. "How about we throw Dean on the couch and grab the bedroom."  
"Mutiny?" Roman laughed. "Throw the captain of the ship to the sharks!"  
"You gotta lay back on the red bulls," Seth laughed.

After parking the car and knocking on the front door, they were met by Dean who looked anything but happy.

"Nice to see you too, sunshine," Roman chuckled.  
"Fuck! Sorry guys, come on in. It's just..." Dean moved towards the livingroom. "We went out last night and someone tried breaking in."  
"What?" Seth asked.

They all stopped in the livingroom and his eyes landed on Denise who looked just as concerned as Dean.

"What happened?" Roman asked.  
"The fuck do I know!" Dean threw up his hands. "My alarm system turned out to be alright. I was always wondering."  
"Don't joke about it, Dean," Roman said.  
"What else am I supposed to do? I don't know who it was but if I get my hands on them, I'm gonna break their neck!" Dean sneered.  
"Nothing happened, right? No one got in. No one's hurt and you didn't lose anything," Roman said.  
"Right, but I'm still on edge," Dean said.  
"Understandable," Seth said. "How are you feeling, Denise?"  
"Not good really," she said. "I'm gonna make some sandwiches. You must be hungry after traveling."

Seth's eyes followed her as she moved to the kitchen and left them in the livingroom.

"Talk to us, Dean," Roman said.  
"I can't shake the feeling anal cunt has something to do with this," Dean said.

He fell down on the couch and looked like he was ready to give up.

"We've heard nothing. Nothing! He was so possessive when it came to her so I don't believe for one second he just accepted her leaving a fucking note and running out in the middle of the night," he continued.  
"What does she think?" Seth asked.  
"I don't know. She's been all secret ever since she came to me. She's on her phone constantly although she tries to hide it and I'm scared she might be communicating with him," Dean answered.  
"She's not," Seth said.

His words drowned by the sound of her feet as she moved back into the livingroom with a tray with four sandwiches and four bottles of water.

"Dig in," she put the tray down and looked around. "Why do you all look like someone killed your puppy?"  
"Long flight," Roman put on a smile. "This looks so good, Denise."

They ate their sandwiches in awkward silence. Normally Dean would be goofing around but it made sense he was on edge after having that experience.

"Do you wanna stay in all day then?" Seth asked afterwards.  
"We won't mind," Roman added.  
"Fuck, no! Whoever that idiot was, I'm not gonna let someone scare me into never leaving my home. I promised you guys a day of fun, so let's go have some fucking fun," Dean said.  
"That a boy!" Roman grinned.

Dean led the way all afternoon, showing them one place after another, keeping it low key but funny. He knew where to go to avoid giant fanbases so they could have some time to themselves. The afternoon flew by fast and they found a restaurant for dinner.

"I can deal with this busy place for a couple of days but I don't get how you can do it everyday," Roman said.  
"I like action," Dean said.  
"I don't get it either," Denise said.  
"You don't?" Seth asked.

She shrugged and looked at Dean with apologetic eyes.

"Sorry, big brother. I'll stay here for now but I don't think I'll stay here for the long run. I just need to figure out where I wanna live," she said.  
"Come to Iowa and I'll take care of you," Seth said.

The words left his mouth before he could even think about it. Dean and Roman turned their heads to stare at him.

"Just a suggestion," he mumbled.  
"Maybe," she said.  
"What?" Dean stared at her.  
"I don't wanna rule out anything. If he can find an apartment he thinks I like, no harm in showing it to me, right?" She shrugged.  
"I'll accept the challenge," Seth said.  
"Roman?" Dean looked at Roman. "A little help here."  
"What? She's old enough to make her own decisions," Roman said. "Let her go, Dean. Let the little bird fly from the nest."  
"Because it went so well last time," Dean grumbled.  
"That's not fair," she said.

She threw some money on the table and stood up.

"That should cover my share," she said.  
"Where are you going?" Dean asked.  
"Away from you," she answered.

She moved through the restaurant towards the door.

"Shit!" Dean sneered.  
"Go stop her. We'll take care of the bill," Roman said.

Dean hurried out of the restaurant and caught her right outside. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in for a hug.

"I'm sorry, brat. I've just been so worried about you over the last couple of years," he said.  
"You don't get to say you're sorry and call me brat in the same sentence," she said.  
"Sure I do. You love me," he chuckled.  
"Unfortunately so," she moved out of his arms. "For the record, you're still an idiot."  
"Always will be," he grinned.

His grin disappeared when someone grabbed her arm and yanked her away from him. Seth and Roman came out of the restaurant just in time to hear Dean's angry words.

"Let go of her, anal cunt!" He shouted.

Seth focused on the man that held on to Denise's arm. He didn't look like much. Black short hair, a bit on the chubby side, and with one mean look in his ice cold green eyes. A man that all three of them easily could take individually and most certainly would break in half together.

"Alex, please!" She whimpered.  
"You're coming back with me!" Alex sneered.  
"The fuck she is!" Dean shouted.  
"You stay out of this, Dean boy! She doesn't need you anymore!" Alex shouted.

She started hyperventilating and her eyes sought through the crowd of people who had stopped to watch the scene until she found the one person she was looking for. Seth. She begged him with her eyes and he pushed forward along with Roman.

"Alex, take a look around," Seth said.  
"Who the fuck are you?" Alex sneered.  
"Just take a fucking look around!" Seth snapped. "Look how many people are watching."  
"I don't care," Alex said.  
"Look how many people are filming," Seth said. "It's not gonna be word against word. There will be proof."

Alex looked around again and reluctantly let go of her arm.

"This isn't over!" He hissed in her ear.  
"Yes, it is," Roman said.

Dean took a step forward, yanking her behind him while stepping up in front of Alex so they were nose to nose.

"You stay the fuck away from my sister!" He warned lowly so no cameras would pick it up. "If you ever come near her again, you won't just have to deal with me. Look behind me. Those two guys see her as their sister too. All three of us will come for you and it won't be pretty. You'll have to eat through a tube for the rest of your life."

He spun around just in time to see her push through the crowd of people to get away. He didn't even need to say anything to Seth and Roman. All three of them pushed through the crowd too to catch up with her. Dean grabbed her arm and pulled her around a corner.

"Hey, hey! Breathe!" He said.  
"I'm... try... ing..." She hiccuped.  
"He won't hurt you again. I won't let him," he said.  
"Let's get her home," Roman said. "Home in safety. She won't calm down out here on the streets."

Seth stepped out on the street and stopped a cab that was driving by and all four of them piled into it. Ten minutes later they were back in the house and she was finally breathing normally although still crying and feeling anxious.

"God damn it!" Dean raged. "I knew it was him trying to break in here. He just waited until he found out somehow where I lived and then he came for you."  
"Dean, calm down," Roman said.  
"Don't tell me to calm the fuck down! Did you see what almost happened back there?" Dean shouted.

She took a deep breath and put on a brave face.

"It's alright, Dean. I'm fine," she said.  
"You're not fine!" Dean snapped.  
"I'm safe. It's not like he did anything besides threatening me a bit. I can handle it," she said.  
"What would he have done if I hadn't been there?" Dean asked.  
"I don't know. Probably just dragged me to his car and driven us both home," she said.  
"Don't lie," Seth said.

She looked at Seth nervously and shook her head.

"Don't lie," he repeated. "Tell him the truth."  
"You said you wouldn't tell him," she said.  
"Just tell him. Or better yet, show him," he said.  
"Show me what?" Dean asked.  
"Look at her back," Seth said.

He felt like he had just thrown her into the lion's den as she took a step backwards. Dean moved towards her fast but she couldn't help but still look at Seth. Her eyes said it all. She felt betrayed.

"No," she whispered.  
"Show me," Dean said.  
"No!" She raised her voice.  
"Just fucking show me already!" He shouted.

He grabbed her, spun her around and yanked her tee up her back before she could get away. The room fell dead silent as they all stared at her back.

"What the fuck is this?" Dean finally shouted.  
"He's been cutting her over the last year," Seth said.  
"Seth, stop!" She cried.  
"He needs to know, Denise," he said.  
"Just leave me alone!" She shouted.

She yanked herself free of Dean's grip and stormed towards the guest room that was functioning as her room these days. All three men stormed after her and Dean grabbed her again once they were inside the room.

"Let me go!" She screamed.

It was a battle of control between the two siblings. She fell down on the bed, kicking him constantly when he tried to get close to her, screaming for them all to leave her alone. After a short while of her foot constantly meeting his kneecap or thigh, Seth suddenly moved in. He jumped up on the bed behind her, placed an arm around her midsection and yanked her back first up against his chest.

"Ssh, sweetheart, it's alright. He's never gonna hurt you again. No one's gonna hurt you again," he said.

Both Dean and Roman stared in wonder as she immetiately calmed down. She closed her eyes and cried but she didn't fight him. He looked over her body and locked eyes with Dean. Dean nodded and walked out of the room with Roman following right behind.

"That's it. Just let it out, sweetheart," Seth continued talking to her.  
"You said you wouldn't tell him," she cried.  
"I know but I couldn't keep it secret anymore. He needed to know and you know that. I'm sorry for breaking your trust but I swear it'll be the only time," he said.

Roman had calmed Dean down and they both sat there with sad eyes when Seth finally came out to join them 20 minutes later.

"She fell asleep," he said.

He dumped down on the couch and looked at Dean.

"I guess we should talk," he said.  
"You think?" Dean snapped. "How do you even know what happened to her?"  
"I accidently walked in on her in the bathroom the first morning and saw it and ever since that day we've been talking," he said.

He pulled out his phone, found their text correspondence and handed the phone to Dean.

"I've been her secret. She hasn't been talking to him. She's been talking to me," he said.

Dean scrolled through some of the texts but there were too many for him to read. They had been talking for almost three weeks, ever since she joined them.

"What do you want from her?" He asked as he handed the phone back.  
"At first I just wanted her to talk to me. I liked her from the moment I met her. But now, honestly, I think I'm in love with her," Seth answered.  
"You think? You better fucking know when it comes to my sister," Dean chuckled a bit.  
"I do know," Seth smiled. "I'm in love with her."  
"Does she know?" Roman asked.  
"I haven't told her yet and I'm not sure if it's the right thing to do after what just happened," Seth looked at Dean again. "Look, Dean, nothing's happened between her and me. We've just talked and flirted. We haven't done anything."

Dean drummed his fingers on his collarbone and nodded.

"Go back to her," he said.  
"You sure?" Seth asked.  
"No touching!" Dean admonished. "But I'd like for her to wake up to your ugly face tomorrow. I saw the effect you had on her. I want her to wake up somewhat happy if it's possible."


	5. Casa Del Rollins

Seth wasn't sure how long he had been watching her sleep. Around 10 minutes, maybe even 15. He had his arms around her and she had turned in her sleep to face him during the night so he just watched her beautiful face and her troll-like morning hair. He bit his lip when she made the cutest, little sound and then opened her bright blue eyes.

"Seth?" She asked. "What time is it?"  
"I don't know but it must be morning since I've heard Dean and Roman roam around," he answered.  
"You've been in here all night?" She asked.  
"I had a ten minute break and then Dean sent me back in here," he answered.  
"He did?" She asked surprised.

He didn't get to answer because the door swung open and Dean entered.

"I heard you talk," he said and looked at Seth. "Take a hike with Roman. Buy us all breakfast."

Seth felt her arms tighten around him and he gave her a reassuring smile before pulling himself out of her embrace. He grabbed his discarded jeans from the floor and left the room. A few minutes later the front door opened and closed and the house went quiet. Dean sat down on the bed and pulled her up to sit as well.

"Talk to me, brat," he said.  
"What do you wanna know?" She asked.  
"Everything," he answered.  
"You'll get so mad," she said.  
"I know I will but you're not gonna leave out anything. Tell me everything anal cunt has put you through," he said.  
"Only if you promise not to kick his teeth in," she said.  
"I can't make that promise," he said.  
"Dean!" She gave him a firm look.  
"Fine, I won't kick his teeth in. Breaking bones is still fair game though," he said.  
"Can't win them all," she chuckled.

When Roman and Seth returned, they found Dean in the kitchen while they heard the water run from the bathroom.

"All good here?" Roman asked.  
"Yeah, she told me everything. The short version, of course," Dean answered. "I swear I'll make him suffer so bad if he ever comes near her again. I don't just wanna kill him. I wanna torture him."  
"There's the Dean we know," Roman chuckled.  
"I'm pretty sure he got the message last night," Seth said.  
"I don't wanna think about moving. He can break in all he wants when it's just me here but I can't be here all the time and I fear to leave her alone for just a second now," Dean said.  
"Easy," Roman said. "We're all here right now and we're leaving after the show tonight. All of us."

They heard the bathroom door open and a minute later she came out in the kitchen. She poured herself a coffee and grabbed a bagel from the table. She was about to move out again when an arm snaked around her midsection and another one grabbed her cup of coffee so it wouldn't spill. She was yanked down on a lap and she looked at Seth who sat with the widest grin on his face.

"You'll have breakfast with us," he said.  
"I thought Dean was the one filling in on the father role," she said.  
"You seriously have daddy issues if you're letting him take that role," he snorted.  
"Hey!" Dean raised his voice.  
"Fine, I'll stay," she smiled. "Can I at least get my own chair?"  
"Only because you ask so nicely," he said.

The day went by slowly but finally they were in the car after the show in Vegas. Dean sighed in relief as they drove out of town. It was usually the other way around. He would sigh when he returned home. Now he couldn't get her out of town fast enough. He didn't want her there as long as Alex was still running around.

The next three days went by in a blur. Although they were away from Vegas, he was still feeling twitchy. He bottled it up inside just like he knew she did but he knew she was struggling with the same thoughts as him. She had to be.

"Home!" Roman sighed longingly.

They had just finished the last show of the mini tour and everyone was ready to go home. They drove to the airport and got their bags out of the trunk. Dean closed the trunk and looked at his sister.

"What is it?" She asked nervously.  
"You're not going home with me," he answered.  
"What? Why?" She asked.  
"You're going home with Seth," he answered.  
"What?" Seth asked.

Dean spun around to look at Seth.

"You're taking her with you," he said.  
"Shouldn't we at least talk about this first?" Seth asked.  
"I can't protect her!" Dean shouted. "Not with anal cunt running around in Vegas, knowing my fucking address, Seth!"  
"Dean, relax," Roman said.

Dean took a few deep breaths and his eyes looked at Seth beggingly.

"Please, Seth. He doesn't know who you are or where you live. She'll be safe in Iowa. And you said it yourself. You'll take care of her if she goes there," he said.  
"Denise?" Seth looked at her. "It's your call, sweetheart."  
"Do you even want me there?" She asked.  
"Yes," he answered.  
"I already booked you a ticket on his flight. Please, brat, say yes. I need to be sure you're safe," Dean said.  
"Okay, I'll go," she said.  
"Thank you," he wrapped his arms around her. "Thank you, thank you, thank you. I'll send all your stuff tomorrow."

It was a weird plane ride. Dean had booked her a ticket but he hadn't been able to know which seat Seth was in and they were placed apart. That didn't matter to Seth. As soon as they landed, his hand found hers and he walked her to his car in the parking lot.

"So..." He said as he let her into his house. "Casa del Rollins."  
"I promise I'll start looking for an apartment tomorrow," she said.  
"No need," he smiled. "Take your time and find yourself first. I don't mind having you here for a little bit."  
"Thank you, Seth," she smiled back.  
"Guest room, couch or my bed?" He smirked.  
"Sure, I'll take your bed. You're gonna be in the guest room then?" She cracked a sideways smile.  
"You either share or you get out," he chuckled.  
"I'll take the guest room," she said.  
"A shame," he said.

He walked her to the guest room and she put down her bag. It wasn't a big room but it would do for now. She would do her best to not get in his way and not stay with him for too long but he was right. She needed to find her place in a new city first before figuring out where to go next.

"You sure you don't wanna crawl into my bed?" He asked.

She looked at him with a smile and launched herself into his arms and hugged him tight.

"Thank you, Seth," she said.  
"You're welcome," he said and stroked her hair.  
"I'm not used to this sort of kindness so it means more to me than you can imagine," she said.  
"You better get used to it," he kissed the top of her head. "There's plenty more where that came from."


	6. Brat 1 and brat 2

Dean kept a close eye on her next time they were on the road. Although they had only been apart for two short days, she seemed different. She seemed more happy. She smiled a lot more and her eyes would light up when Seth entered the room. He had pulled both of them aside individually and both of them swore that nothing was going on. They were even sleeping in separate rooms. Still it didn't go unnoticed to him that his sister was changing - fast and for the better.

"How about we go for a run?" Seth asked.  
"You wanna race me, Seth?" Dean chuckled.  
"I was thinking we'd just go for a run together," Seth said.  
"I'm in," Roman said.  
"Go, boys," Denise laughed.  
"We'll go out for food when we come back," Dean said.  
"I want a burrito!" She shouted as he opened the door.  
"You'll fucking get one, brat!" He shouted back.

They returned 30 minutes later, all of them laughing and in good mood. The mood was quickly killed by the look on her face.

"Dean," she said lowly.

He looked towards the tv where a news story was shown. He knew that house. He lived right next door to it. 80 year old mrs Bennett still lived there after her husband passed away two years earlier.

"What happened? Is mrs Bennett okay?" He asked.  
"She's dead," she said.  
"What? How?" He asked.

Their jaws dropped as the footage showed a man with his hands cuffed behind his back being forced into a police car. And not just any man. It was Alex.

"That motherfucker!" Dean shouted.  
"They say she came out when she saw him move in your garden. She tried to stop him, Dean," she said.  
"Fuck!" He ran to her and wrapped his arms around her. "It's alright. You're alright. He's going away for a long time now."  
"What if you had been home?" She asked.  
"No! You don't think like that!" He gritted his teeth. "Look at me. I'm here with you and I'm alright."  
"If he had come tomorrow, you would have been home," she said.  
"Denise, he's alright," Seth ran his hand soothingly up and down her back. "You can't think like that, sweetheart. Nothing good comes from thinking like that."

She pushed her way out of both of their hands and moved towards the door.

"Denise?" Seth asked.  
"I just need some alone time. I'll see you at the arena later," she answered.

She was gone a second later, leaving all three of them in the room to look at the tv again.

"I really liked mrs Bennett," Dean said.  
"It's not your fault, Dean," Roman said. "And it's not her fault either."  
"I know that," Dean said.

Roman grabbed the remote and turned off the tv.

"There's nothing we can do. It fucking sucks that someone died but he's going away, Dean. Denise is gonna be safe from now on. She can come back home with you if you want her to," he said.  
"I don't think she wants to," Dean looked at Seth.  
"I swear I haven't touched her," Seth couldn't help but crack a smile.  
"Yet," Dean smiled back. "Just let it be for now. If she wants to come home with me tonight, she'll say so herself."

How she got through work that night, she wasn't sure of. She didn't get any complaints though so she must have done everything right. She just felt like a robot while working. She didn't think about much after the show. They were in Seth's car and she fell asleep in the front seat, never noticing the car stopping at the airport and Roman and Dean get out.

"Take care of her," Dean said lowly.  
"Don't worry," Seth said.  
"I'll call her tomorrow," Dean said.

She didn't wake up until Seth had parked the car and lightly shook her awake.

"What?" She looked around. "We're home?"  
"You slept all the way," he said.  
"I'm sorry," she said.  
"Don't be. You clearly needed it," he said. "Dean said he'll call you tomorrow so don't worry about him."  
"I always worry," she said.

She got out of the car and moved towards the front door. He grabbed their bags from the trunk and went to unlock the door. She was still not feeling good about the events of the day, that was clear to him.

"Hey," he dropped the bags and rubbed her arm. "Are you okay?"  
"Someone died because of me," she said.  
"No, because of him. You're not to blame," he said.  
"Yes, I am. If I hadn't left him, she would still be alive," she said.  
"But would you?" He asked angrily.

He stared her down, getting more angry by the second.

"Rather me than her," she said.  
"Don't say that," he said.  
"She was innocent," she said.  
"So are you!" He shouted. "You don't ever fucking say things like that! She lived a long life while yours is just beginning and I can't bear the fucking thought of losing you like that!"

He yanked her close and crashed his lips down on hers, kissing her with anger and passion, wrapping his arms around her tightly while she mewled into the kiss and grabbed the shirt on his back. He pulled away just enough to look at her.

"I won't lose you. I can't lose you," he said.  
"You won't," she whispered.  
"And you're fucking coming to bed with me tonight," he said.  
"Please," she grabbed his shirt tighter. "I want you, Seth. I need you."

With his arms still tightly around her and his lips assaulting hers again, he managed to move them both to the bedroom. He pushed her down on the bed and yanked her sneakers off her. She giggled as she watched him kick off his own shoes and join her on the bed.

"I won't hurt you," he said as he kissed down her neck. "I promise."

They yanked and pulled on each other's clothes, lust taking over completely as they couldn't get each other naked fast enough. She was just as beautiful as he had imagined and his lips barely left her body at all while he worked his magic with his fingers on her. Her fingers were wrapped around his dick, stroking him at the same pace as his fingers moved inside her. He pulled his fingers out of her and swatted her hand away from his dick.

"I gotta have you now," he said.  
"Then take me," she said.

He rolled on top of her and pushed himself inside her while his lips found hers again. She moaned into his mouth while grabbing his ass and rolling her hips to meet his thrusts. They were in sync, moving at a steady pace without going too fast. He couldn't contain his own moaning either, letting out noises that no other woman had ever gotten out of him. He felt her tense up and he reached down to grab her ass, squeezing while continuing to thrust, sending her into a world of bliss where he joined her just three seconds later.

"That was... That was... " She said after a little while.  
"Yeah," he grinned as he lifted his head. "It sure was."

She woke up next morning to soft lips moving over the scars on her back. She was on her side with her back against him and she smiled and enjoyed the feeling of his lips. He was turning pain into pleasure, something she had never thought any man could do.

"I know you're awake," he said.  
"If I admit to it, are you gonna stop?" She asked.  
"Not it you don't want me to," he chuckled.  
"It feels really good," she said.

His tongue came out and traced the longest scar and she let out a little moan. His hand came around to her stomach and moved up to grab one of her breasts when they were interrupted by her phone ringing.

"Great timing, Dean," Seth mumbled.

She giggled as she left the bed to locate the phone in her jeans. As soon as she got it, she crawled back down in his arms and put the phone on speaker as she answered the call.

"Hey brat, how are you feeling?" Dean asked.  
"I'm alright. Seth managed to calm me down last night," she smirked at Seth.  
"I bet he did," Dean laughed. "I can hear him laugh and since it's only 7 AM, I'm just gonna take a wild guess that you're in the same bed and probably naked."  
"Busted," Seth chuckled.  
"You better be good to her or I'll kick your ass," Dean said.

Both Seth and Denise laughed at that statement.

"I mean it," Dean continued.  
"Sure thing, big brother," she laughed.  
"You know where to find me if you don't wanna put up with his sorry ass anymore," he said.  
"I like it here," she said.  
"You hear that, Dean? She likes it here," Seth smiled at her. "I'm not sending her back. As a matter of fact, I'm not even sending her out of my house."  
"What?" She looked at him.  
"That sounds like a conversation for you two alone," Dean laughed. "See you, brat 1 and brat 2."

He hung up and Seth smiled innocently at her.

"I mean, if you wanna stay, I won't mind," he said.  
"How did we go from you blackmailing me into a date to me never gonna leave your house?" She asked.  
"You got lucky," he grinned.  
"That I can agree on," she leaned in to kiss him. "I'll stay."  
"Yeah?" He smiled against her lips.  
"Don't make me regret it," she chuckled.

He pushed her down on her back and raised his head with a smirk.

"Oh, trust me, sweetheart, I won't," he said confidently.  
"Yeah?" She smirked back at him. "You got any secret weapons to keep me here?"  
"I do," he moved downwards while running his tongue between her breasts and down her stomach. "You missed out of trying this tongue last night. It only takes one time and you'll be left breathless and never want to leave."  
"Prove it," she said.

He chuckled and ran his tongue up her folds teasingly, making her let out a little moan.

"Seth," she said.  
"Hang on tight, sweetheart," he said. "I plan on taking my sweet time down here until you'll be fucking begging me to make you cum."


End file.
